The private garage beneath the gala venue was quiet, shielded from the flashing cameras and shouting reporters outside.
The heavy door of the luxury SUV closed with a solid thud, cutting off the city noise completely.
I sat between Vin and Shawn, my back resting against the leather seat.
For the first five minutes, nobody spoke.
The adrenaline that had kept my body tight and rigid for hours began to fade, leaving a dull, bone-deep tiredness in its place.
Shawn reached over, taking my left hand in his.
He didn’t say anything fancy.
He just squeezed my fingers, his thumb stroking the back of my hand until I relaxed my shoulders.
Lucian sat across from us, his dark suit jacket unbuttoned, his phone resting on his knee.
A single message flashed on the glass screen: Conrad Vance processed at Manhattan Central Booking.
Bail denied.
“It’s done,” Lucian said quietly, setting the phone aside.
He looked up at me, his gaze steady and warm.
“The District Attorney already reviewed the toxicology sheets and the signed ICU release form.
Conrad is being held without bond.” A long breath left my chest, my hands resting in my lap.
For five years, every breath I took had been calculated, every step watched.
Now, the man who had turned my home into a prison was locked in a concrete cell.
The vehicle pulled into the private underground parking bay of The Obsidian Tower in midtown Manhattan.
The private glass elevator took us straight to the top floor, rising seventy stories above the bright lights of the city.
When the elevator doors slid open directly into the penthouse foyer, I stopped in my tracks.
The apartment was massive, open, and filled with warm yellow lighting.
High glass walls wrapped around the living room, showing the endless grid of New York City glowing below the night sky.
There were no creaking floorboards, no dark corners, and no oppressive wooden furniture.
It felt light, clean, and completely safe.
I kicked off my uncomfortable high heels, letting my bare feet sink into the soft cream rug.
I walked right up to the floor-to-ceiling glass, looking out at the skyline.
Vin walked up behind me, stepping out of his dress shoes.
He stood close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his chest, but he didn’t grab me.
He just stood there like an anchor, his heavy presence keeping me grounded.
“You like the view?” Vin asked, his voice low and calm.
“It doesn’t feel real,” I admitted, turning my head to look up at him.
“I kept thinking I would wake up back in my small room at Crestwood, hearing Conrad shouting down the hallway.” Vin reached out, his big hand coming up to rest on my shoulder.
His calloused fingers rubbed the tense muscle near my neck with a gentle pressure.
“That house is gone, Lyra.
We’re having the whole estate locked up by morning.
My guys are taking every piece of your mother’s personal belongings out of the study and shipping them straight here.” Shawn walked over from the kitchen holding a glass of cold water.
He handed it to me, his dark eyes watching me closely.
“Your mother’s estate lawyers are meeting with Lucian’s legal team at nine tomorrow morning.
Every dollar Conrad stole from your trust is being frozen and returned to your name.” I took a sip of the water, the cold liquid soothing my dry throat.
“What about the mansion?” “We’re selling the land to a commercial developer,” Lucian said, walking out from his private office down the hall.
He had already taken off his suit jacket and tie, unbuttoning the top three buttons of his white shirt.
“They’re tearing the main house down next week.
Not a single stone will be left standing.” Hearing those words felt like a physical weight being lifted off my collarbones.
The house where my mother had died, the house where I had been held like a prisoner, was going to be turned into dust.
Lucian walked over, taking the glass from my hands and setting it down on a side table.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his chest, while Shawn stepped in from the front, his hands resting on my bare shoulders.
“You’ve had a long night, sweet girl,” Shawn whispered, his thumb lightly stroking my jawline.
“Let’s get you out of this dress.” They led me down the wide hallway to the master bedroom.
The room was huge, dominated by a king-sized bed with crisp white sheets, facing a panoramic window that looked out over the Hudson River.
Shawn reached behind my back, unzipping the long zipper of my black silk dress.
The smooth fabric fell away, pooling around my feet on the hardwood floor.
I stood there in just my lace underwear, the cool air touching my skin, but I didn’t feel vulnerable or afraid.
Lucian sat on the edge of the bed, pulling me between his knees.
His broad hands rested on my bare hips, his fingers squeezing the soft skin gently.
He looked up into my eyes, his face completely open.
“No more games,” Lucian said, his voice quiet and honest.
“No more keeping secrets to protect each other.” “No more secrets,” I agreed, leaning down to press my lips against his.
The kiss was slow and deep.
His mouth tasted warm, his tongue sliding against mine in a smooth, unhurried rhythm.
His hands moved up my back, pressing me closer until my bare chest was flat against his unbuttoned shirt.
Shawn unbuckled his belt and kicked off his trousers, sliding onto the bed behind Lucian.
He reached out, pulling my hips back so I sat comfortably in Lucian’s lap.
Shawn’s warm mouth moved along the side of my neck, his lips kissing the sensitive skin right behind my ear, making me let out a soft breath.
Vin stripped off his shirt, his muscular chest and wide shoulders catching the dim room light.
He joined us on the wide mattress, his large hands reaching out to pull off my thin lace underwear, tossing them onto the floor.
I lay back against the white pillows, completely bare, with all three of them surrounding me.
There was no punishment tonight, no anger, and no bitter resentment over the past.
Everything was raw, honest, and grounded in pure relief.
Lucian moved up over me, his weight resting on his forearms on either side of my head.
He looked down into my eyes for a long moment before lowering his head to kiss my mouth again.
At the same time, his hand slid down between my thighs.
His fingers were warm and wet as he rubbed his thumb over my swollen center, moving in easy, steady circles.
My hips lifted off the mattress on their own.
A soft groan came from my throat, my legs opening wider for him without any hesitation.
“You’re so soft for us,” Lucian murmured into my lips, his thumb pressing a little firmer against my peak.
Vin knelt between my open knees.
He didn’t rush.
He held my thighs open with his big hands, his calloused palms pressing into my inner skin, keeping me steady.
He guided his thick, hard shaft to my entrance and pushed inside me with one smooth, heavy stroke.
I gasped out loud, my fingers digging into Lucian’s shoulders as Vin filled me up completely.
It was thick, warm, and deep, stretching me full in a way that made my whole body throb with pleasure.
“Take it slow, Vin,” Shawn said from beside my head, his fingers tangling into my hair, pulling my face toward his so he could kiss my cheeks and lips.
Vin held my hips firm, setting a slow, deep pace.
He pulled almost all the way out before driving back inside, his hips bumping against my rear with a steady, heavy thud.
Every stroke hit deep inside my core, sending hot waves of pleasure straight through my belly.
“Does that feel good, Lyra?” Vin asked, his voice rough and low near my ear.
“Yes,” I breathed out, my back arching off the bed.
“It feels so good.” Lucian lowered his mouth to my bare breast, taking my hardened nipple between his lips.
He sucked on it with a firm, steady rhythm, his hand moving down to join Vin’s, his fingers rubbing my wet clitoris right where Vin entered me.
The combination of Vin’s deep, slow thrusts, Lucian’s mouth on my chest, and Shawn’s hands stroking my hair and waist pushed me over the edge fast.
The pleasure built up in my lower belly, tight and heavy, until my inner muscles tightened hard around Vin’s shaft.
“I’m close,” I whimpered, my hands clutching Lucian’s arms.
“Go ahead,” Lucian whispered against my skin.
“Let it out.” My body snapped into a violent, shaking peak.
My inner walls pulsed tight over and over around Vin’s thick length, milking him as a long, helpless cry escaped my mouth.
Vin let out a deep grunt, his hands gripping my waist tight as he pushed deep inside one last time, his body shaking as he released his own warmth deep within me.
Shawn pulled me into his arms as Vin slowly pulled out, wrapping his body around mine while Lucian lay on my other side, resting his hand over my hips.
We lay together on the massive bed as the first light of dawn began to paint the Manhattan sky in soft shades of orange and blue over the river.
My body was warm, relaxed, and thoroughly satisfied.
For the first time in five years, my mind was quiet.
There were no locks to pick, no secrets to hide, and no threats waiting for me in the dark.
Lucian reached over, his hand finding mine on the white sheet, interlocking our fingers tightly.
“Tomorrow, your new life starts,” Lucian said softly, his eyes looking out at the rising sun over the city.
I squeezed his hand, resting my head against Shawn’s shoulder as Vin’s arm stayed locked around my waist.
“My life started tonight,” I replied.